No replacement jutsu
by Kuroda Miharu
Summary: When you loose someone or something it is hard but the hardest thing to do is listen to your own advice. Kakashi learns the hard way with the help from Shikamaru. KakaShika, past KakaIru and others. Rated to be safe.


_Just a little fic that I wrote at about 11.30pm to 1am ish. – I don't own Naruto or any of the characters – if I did I wouldn't be writing fan fiction -_

_Shikamaru: 21_

_Kakashi: 32_

_I don't think that is what it is but around there I think_

_Flash back indicated, I hope you enjoy_

**No replacement jutsu**

They moaned as they battled for dominance with their tongues.

The older mans hand snaking its way up to undo the hair tie in the younger mans hair to allow the dark locks to fall and frame the others face. The other hand resting in the small of his partners back pulling them closer to him as the heat intensified.

The younger man soon gave up the battle allowing the other to take control as he looped his arms round the others neck and buried his fingers in the short pale hair of his partner.

"Iruka" the older gasped as he paused momentarily for breath as the younger man froze beneath him.

In the moment it took the light-haired man to realise what he had done the dark-haired man had pushed him away and got up off the couch they were previously occupying.

"I'm sorr…"

"Don't worry about it." The younger cut off turning towards the door, "see you soon Kakashi…-san."

"Please Shi…" Kakashi started but the younger had already closed the door after exiting the apartment.

- -- -- -- -

"Shikamaru is that you?" A woman asked as she neared the bottom of the stairs after hearing the front door open.

"Hn." Came a reply which was quickly followed by an agitated sigh.

The woman found the young man laying on a cream couch in their living room looking up at the ceiling with glazed eyes.

"It is nearly midnight, what happened? I thought you were staying with Kakashi-san tonight." She rambled as she sat next to the man.

"Sorry Okaa-san for waking you, those plans did not work out." Shikamaru replied turning to face his mother.

"What happened?"

She was an understanding mother and loved her son no matter what; yes she would like grandchildren but she wanted her boy to be happy. She also knew when something was wrong with the men in her life, all Nara males were exceptionally skilled at hiding their feelings behind the 'this is too troublesome' face and blank expressions they usually wore but she had learned and could see slight changes in those expressions and knew what they all meant.

"Nothing, just a misunderstanding." He replied trying to shake his mother off.

"Don't give me that Nara Shikamaru, something has happened and it has made you upset, I haven't seen you like this since Asuma and Sasuke, what is it?"

The young man looked away, he knew there was no way to escape his mother now as it was she that he spoke to whenever something happened, he let out a deep sigh, "He called me Iruka, that's all, its not a big problem."

"Shika." A warning tone escaped his mother's lips.

He slumped in his seat, damn that troublesome woman for being able to read him like a book, "It's just that it has been five years since then and we have been together for nearly one and a half, yet he still slips." He looked over at his mother who nodded for him to continue.

"You know what happened when he died, Kakashi-san was a mess but we needed him back for the sake of the village. I was drafted in to help…

FB

"Shikamaru, I need you to take this mission, you are the only one who can, the fate of the village may just be resting on your shoulders." The fifth Hokage said in a surprisingly sincere voice.

She looked old now, the stress of the job beginning to show. She had just lost almost a dozen shinobi and one of her best had just lost his world. This was defiantly not one of the perks of the job, she needed sake and those around her would agree.

Shikamaru sighed wishing that the good humoured Hokage was back but they knew this was no time for jokes, one of the villages best was out of action because of the trauma of loosing his lover and he could cause serious damage to the village in that state. He could no longer be an effective ninja if he stayed the way he was.

The Chuunin before the current Hokage nodded, taking the mission scroll and putting his own problems behind him to move forwards, for the sake of his village and fellow shinobi.

It wasn't long before Kakashi was on the right track again with thanks to Shikamaru and a number of others.

He began to move on from his pain, and in return helped Shikamaru move on from his. He started to become the efficient shinobi he once was and as he did he learned a lot about Shikamaru in that time. There were sill bad days when he would slip up and call the younger nin 'Iruka' or if they did something that reminded the copy-nin of the tanned Chuunin he would go back to square one for a couple of days.

They gradually worked though these glitches and soon they found themselves in a relationship. Shikamaru knew that he had to be careful, this is Sharingan-Kakashi we are talking about, he also knew it would be difficult for the ex-ANBU to let go and start again but the younger perused. Something not seen that often in a Nara.

An odd form of love grew between them and they ended up officially 'together' and while Kakashi still had his moments no slip of the tongue had occurred for a long time.

/FB

…I don't know how to help him anymore. I keep trying and then he throws it all in my face." The young man finished.

"I really think that it is time for me to give that man what for, I know I promised not to but he has hurt you too much this time!" She growled after receiving a glance from her son, "stay here Shika; I am going over to give him a talking to. Sharingan-Kakashi or not he can not hurt my son like this."

"There is no need," came a cracked voice from the corner of the room, "I am here not at home."

"You heartless man!" Yoshino shouted as she stalked towards the pale haired shinobi in her house, "how could you? After all Shikamaru has done for you! After all he has been through and put aside to be there for you!"

All her anger came out in a cold hard slap across the mans covered face as she came to stand still in front of him.

"Okasan!" the younger man almost shouted as he stood from the couch, "leave it, you will only make it worse."

His mother took a calming breath before sending a glare at the older man and storming out of the room. They needed space, but she wouldn't be too far away.

"What are you do…"

"I am so sorry Shika-kun. I don't want to live in the past anymore, will you please forget what happened. I don't know what would happen if I lost you too." The elder pleaded from his position in the corner of the room. This was no time for beating around the bush and he had never been too good with words.

"Listen to yourself! You give all this advice and you expect others to listen but you don't listen, so why should we Kakashi-sempai?" the Nara spat.

"Shika please don't call me that." The other whispered.

"Too late, you started this. I have had enough of this. There is no jutsu that can bring him back and I am not a replacement. You have said that you would like to move on from your past before yet here we are going over the same ground again." Shikamaru fumed. "Just because you are Sharingan-Kakashi doesn't mean that you can get your way."

Shikamaru stared at Kakashi who looked forlorn and lost in the space around him. He looked as if he was unsure what to do with himself.

"I know," he eventually whispered, "I know that I have said it before and I know I haven't changed. I can't because without you I am lost and I seem to keep pushing you away. I am so sorry. Iruka wanted me to move on and I have failed him. You wanted me to move on just like you have and I have failed you too." He sighed and looked at Shikamaru with his lone blue eye.

"I truly wish to move on but only if I am with you. I can not do this on my own. You are no replacement jutsu for Iruka; even if that was a reason behind the Hokage giving you me as your mission, you are so much more than that. I am sorry that this has happened Shika-koi."

Kakashi stepped closer to the younger, tears now falling from the blue eye. He tentatively wrapped his arms round the quiet Shikamaru before placing his chin on top of the younger mans head while it rested in the crook of his neck.

"I need you Shikamaru, I know I should have tried harder and I could have helped you but I cant do this without you. I love you."

Those three words carried so much at that moment that Shikamaru did not know how to reply. He knew Kakashi meant it, that he was more to Kakashi that a throw-away. So Shikamaru responded in the only way that seemed right in his logical mind.

This time however there was no battle for dominance.

- -- -- -- -

Outside the room Yoshino smiled and headed back upstairs to catch some more shut eye.

When she reached her bedroom she saw her husband asleep taking up most of the bed. She sighed with a small smile still gracing her lips; how he slept through that shouting she would never know but she was glad that there were no neighbours nearby.

Between you and me Shikaku had learned to block out most shouting from his wife, subconsciously of course as if he did it on purpose there would be hell to pay. He had also learned to sleep with earplugs in, just in case.

_Thanks for reading, please leave a review so I know what you think, Kuroda Miharu_


End file.
